TTS toast to channel partners

Tata Docomo, the unified brand of Tata Teleservices (TTS), recently announced an industry-first postpay seller engagement, rewards and retention program- Bonus Plus for sellers working for or top Club Premier Partners

The Bonus Plus lets the Top rung Channel Partners and Sellers earn points basis activations done month on month which can be redeemed after a lock-in period of 3 months.

The accrued points can be redeemed against a plethora of items from the Bonus Plus website like Mobiles, Consumer durables, Vouchers, etc. With added functionalities to the loyalty program, the objective is to generate long term relationship with sellers in the TTL postpay ecosystem.

Under the Bonus Plus program, every activation is awarded 100 points where each point is equal to Re 1. Accrued points can be used for redemption. A partner/seller will get a joining bonus of 3000 points and will also enjoy a loyalty bonus on completion of 3 (1000 points), 6 (2000 points), 9 (3500 points) and 12 months (5000 points) among other benefits.

 Attention Partners!

“Our channel partners are one of the most significant stakeholders for the company. They are in many cases the face of the company and a direct connect between the users and the company. Not only do they help us sustain our business model but also become a source of insights from the end users about our products and services. Through that, we are able to pivot our course of action and innovate to bring refreshing and utility-driven offerings,” says Elango Thambiah, president-Mobility, Tata Teleservices.

Along with retention and loyalty programs such as Bonus Plan for our channel partners and sellers, TTS enables partners to further enjoy a distinct and differentiated brand identity with their entire customer facing BTL and other paraphernalia getting specially branded by Tata Docomo. With significant benefits and remunerations associated with the ‘Club Premier’ and Bonus Plus programs, TTS aims at promoting healthy competition amongst channel partners encouraging them to retain their club memberships and make attempts to graduate to higher levels. Bonus Plus would also address seller attrition and improve productivity.

To be or not to be a channel partner

TTS’ services and solutions are quite diverse and have found adequate acceptance by varied customer bases. From 2G to 3G, from retail footprint expansion to online portals, TTS aims to target as many enterprises and individual customers as possible. Without disclosing disclose the count of partner base due to company policy on confidentiality, Thambiah marked out  involvement in business and passion for customer service as the qualities  to become  TTS partner. “Propensities to sell and sight opportunities are preferred over pedigree,” adds Thambiah. TTS’s channel strategy is quite simple- to expand the network as much as possible with dedicated partners across the country. For obvious reasons, TTS aligns its initiatives with the demands of a specific market/circle in  away so that it syncs in with TTS’ overall objective and ideology. “Through programs like Bonus Plan, we also try to incentivise more and more channel partners and sellers for sustaining a long lasting relationship,” adds Thambiah. We are looking at expanding and retaining large partner base and high productivity sellers. We want a win-win situation for high performers and help them achieve their aspirations in terms of rewards & recognition.

Digital Divide?

The company believes that a strong association with the channel partners directly impacts the subscriber base, be it enterprises or HNI (high net worth individuals). “Our key innovation in terms of strategy would be to combine branding with channel partner initiatives more strongly in the coming times. We believe that a strong brand association will not only motivate the partners and sellers but also will result in a better brand recall with our end users. This long lasting impression will lead to better results, sense of loyalty and a healthy competition,” explains Thambiah.

There is no denying that there has been a shift towards online. The company is cognizant of the markets where offline sales still hold a significant position. TTS is coming up with plans and initiatives that builds its portfolio on both the platforms and make them equally beneficial for the partners involved.

The company has a comprehensive digital presence and a robust Lead Management application that helps leverage the new media proliferation. TTS believes that both online and offline shall co-exist for a long time to come and hence are adequately represented in both the formats.